belkin basic wireless usb adapter f7d1101

I have purchased the Belkin wireless adapter to use with our OS Windows ME,on the box it states it supports our OS for the adapter, but when trying to install the divice nothing happens. Is this product not compatiable with our OS?

Windows ME? R U serious? Windows ME, Millenium Edtn (as well as Windows 95, 98, NT and soon to be Windows 2000 on 7-13-10) is no longer supported by Microsoft and SHOULD NOT be used on the Internet! You are risking virus infections, credit # theft, identity theft etc., if you use ANY old, unsupported operating system online.

If the CD that came with it has software for it for ME, then you install the software on the CD - otherwise, you can't use it with ME. ME has no built in support for recognizing or setting up wireless network devices.

( I could be the software on the Belkin site also supports using it in ME and they omitted that, but I doubt that. )

If the wireless adapter does have software support for using it in ME, you must install the software for that, BEFORE you plug it in the first time. You DO NOT install JUST the drivers - it comes with a Utility you use to set up the wireless settings in Windows, since ME and previous do not have that built in like 2000 and above do.

In 2000 (probably requires SP4 updates or later are installed) and up, you can either use the Utility that comes with the adapter's software, if it comes with that, or , in most cases, you can un-install the Utility that came with it in Add Remove Programs after the software has been installed and use the Windows built in wireless settings support (Wireless Zero, or similar). ........

Unless the instructions for installing a device tell you otherwise.......You DO NOT install drivers for a device while booting into Windows, if the software for the device has not been installed yet - when Windows detects a generic device or New Hardware while booting, you allow it to search for drivers, it doesn't find any, and it wants you to show it the location of the drivers - CANCEL that, continue on to the desktop, and install the software for the device using the proper installation from a CD or the proper installation file that you downloaded from the web.

If you DID install drivers that way, go to Control Panel - Classic View - Add/Remove Programs and Un-install the software you installed, reboot, DO NOT install drivers while booting, and install the software the right way !

Whether you use a supported or unsupported OS makes little difference. It is the measures you take to protect your self that matter.

The fact that you are blaming an unsupported OS is an example of a bad workman blaming his tools. Microsoft support IS NOT the be all and end all of Internet Security.

You might just as well say that all motor vehicles over ten years old should be taken of the roads because they don't have the safety devices of more modern vehicles. Clearly ridiculous. You take these things into account and act accordingly.

The reality is that an older OS is likely to be safer as hackers and spammers will be targeting more modern OS's. The malware for older OS's is likely to be well defeated and no one is going to be developing new ones while there are new targets to attack.

Ok well thanks for responding, but as a family who is trying to make due with what we have, were trying to use something we already have with out having to go out and buy new. Our thoughts were to use old computer for our children to just play games and watch videos so that our newer computer wouldn't be tied up all the time by them. We are not computer experts and try our best, We do use manuals and read directions when trying to do things. We inserted the disk which came with the adapter, and the wizzard came up and when clicking on the button "Next" nothing happened. There were no printed intructions in the box, so was relying on the cd. So for the time being giving up on using the adaper, returning it to store and will just have to save up money and buy another computer.

I installed an older model TrendNet wireless B/G adapter in ME for someone, and it worked fine. I think I have some other brands, older models, that can also be installed in ME. I don't know whether any currently easily available wireless network adapter has ME software available for it, but you may be able to still find older models that do support ME on the web. Sometimes the original CD does have support for older operating systems. Sometimes the CD doesn't support older operating systems but downloads available from the maker's site do.

"We inserted the disk which came with the adapter, and the wizzard came up and when clicking on the button "Next" nothing happened."

Don't plug in the adapter until you have installed the software.

Your laser lens may be "dirty". Try cleaning the laser lens on the optical (CD or DVD) drive with a laser lens cleaning CD. If you have more than one optical drive, try the CD in another drive. If you don't have a laser lens cleaning CD, most places that have CDs and DVDs have them, and some "dollar" stores have them for a buck or too. If you can manage to read the CD, there may be folders on it for the various operating systems - if so, there may be one for ME if the software on the CD supports that.

When you plug in the adapter....

USB devices may not work correctly when they're connected to certain USB ports e.g. ports in a hub or on the front of a desktop case. If you have a desktop computer, you may have an IRQ sharing problem you need to fix, or your power supply may be starting to fail. See response 3 in this:http://www.computing.net/answers/wi...

Also - if you are using a USB extension cable, some of them have inadequate wiring and will not work properly with some USB devices.

Rather than returning the adapter and buying another computer, you could buy an OEM XP Home CD and install it on the computer, and use this wireless adapter. That's available on the web for under $100, SP3 updates already integrated into it, and if you need more info, if you supply the make and model of the brand name system, or the make and model of the mboard if it's a generic desktop system, we can tell you what you need to know.

End of support for Windows 98 and Windows MeJuly 11, 2006 will bring a close to Extended Support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me as part of the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. Microsoft will retire public and technical support, including security updates, by this date.

Microsoft is retiring support for these products because they are outdated and can expose customers to security risks. We recommend that customers who are still running Windows 98 or Windows Me upgrade to a newer, more secure Microsoft operating system, such as Windows XP, as soon as possible.

If you want to risk your identity theft, or loss of credit card number by using a tired old unsupported OS, that's your choice. I think it's a bad, bad choice IMHO.

So you put more money into Microsoft's coffers because they feed you a load of bulls--- and persuade you to upgrade your OS.

Up until late last year I was running a distributed precessing application on Windows 98. This application required 24/7 access to the internet. For the three year it was running it never picked up a virus or any kind of malware but it was transferring data two or three times a day,

I have never has my identity stolen, credit card number misused or any kind of virus. The last time I was infected with a virus was in 1989. Tequila it was called and it caused me a load of hassle. Never again I said.

To borrow the motto of The Parachute Training Regiment: Knowledge dispels fear.

I am still using Win 98SE on one computer.I connect to the web through a router that I'm using the default firewall settings with, but I'm not using any software firewall. I don't download anything gotten illegally, such as music, movies, "cracked" games - a possible source of malware. I use my ISP's SPAM filter, report any email that gets past that to the ISP and then delete it. I don't open any email or attachments in email that look suspicious. My email program, an old version of Eudora, does not open any email or attachments automatically. I don't leave my computer running for any more than a short time when I'm not using it.

I was using free AVG 7.5 until I could no longer update it, many months past the initial end of support date. I could have then used Avast! until the beginning of 2010, but chose not to, because I was not getting any malware that "stuck" after I un-installed AVG. I have had no anti-malware software installed for somewhere between one and two years or so. I haven't been infected with anything that "stuck" in all that time. Sometimes when I click on a search result and it turns out to be a contaminated link, some rogue anti-malware program tries to auto scan my computer, but all I have to do is close the browser, or at worst, press the power button in until the computer shuts down. There is nothing about that , that "sticks", like it does in 2000 and above.

It appears the malware makers are not making anything new that actually infects 98SE anymore, and have not done so for some time.

If I did get malware that "stuck" I might not be able to get rid of it these days, and if I couldn't, I would stop using 98SE.

Well, to each his own I guess, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they're NOT entitled to their own FACTS.

Stability: If you look at the laughably unstable 16 Bit ME and Windows 9x platforms as compared to the 32 or 64 Bit XP and newer OS platforms, there simply is no comparison in reliability & stability. I used to have to sometimes reboot 2-3x/day with 9x. I NEVER used ME, it’s probably the worst OS MS ever made. Yes, some ppl liked it, but that doesn’t change the fact that it sucked for the majority of ME users. With newer OSes, you can leave it powered on & go in & out of the OS in b/w normal operational mode & StandBy for weeks where 9x or ME would just get confused and befuddled and seize up or not even shut down.

Security: A newer OS is attacked more yes, but, their software code & architecture is more secure to begin with and old, as well as new attack vectors in aged OSes are totally UNPROTECTED as there are no new updates to patch those holes. That’s like taking the front door off your house, going to bed without worrying that someone will not enter your home and rob you or worse. Some people can do that (the crazy ones), but to think you are secure by using an UNPATCHABLE, UNSUPPORTED, less attacked OS is just plain folly - it’s an unnecessary risk. Using an old OS OFF the Internet with some sort of legacy application is one thing and can be acceptable, but the moment you put the crap on the Internet is quite another. There is just no good reason to do it, especially with the abundance of cheap used computers (running XP). If you think you’re so secure with your 98 & ME, go and browse some Russian File Sharing Websites with your ME & 98, I dare ‘ya.

Price: At ~$100.00 a pop for a supported OS like XP, Vista, Windows 7, that $100 that breaks down to about $10/year over the 10 year lifecycle of an MS OS (I recently saw a Windows 7 Updgrade version for $74). If that’s unaffordable to people, then they should switch to easy to use, plug n play, friendly (sarcasm) OS like Linux. Rather than rip on the price of a new MS OS, ppl should look at what they spend on cigs @ $5/6 dollar per pack, or their booze, or their new video game updates every year at $50 a shot or what they pay for Cable TV at $600.00+/yr.

Why would a want to do a fool thing like that. I wouldn't do that with any OS, not even the latest, all singing, all dancing fresh of the press OS. Any more than I would park my car in the middle of the city centre with the doors wide open and expect it to be there when I returned. I would park it in a secure car park, with the doors locked and the alarm armed. You can do a similar thing will an old car as much as a new one as you can with an old OS. Protect yourself. Don't expect everything and anyone to do it for you.

Anyone who browsed a Russian File Sharing Website is just asking for trouble. Make yourself vulnerable and someone will take advantage of your stupidity. That happens in all walks of life.

I think PC Geek, you have been listening to too much hype and it's taking the place of common sense.

TubesandWires: "We inserted the disk which came with the adapter, and the wizzard came up and when clicking on the button "Next" nothing happened."

Don't plug in the adapter until you have installed the software.

I had not plugged in adapter, just inserted the disk for installation. And thats when we couldn't click "Next". Tried other drive and same thing happened. Will check store for cleaning disk.You suggested we could buy an OEM XP Home CD and install it on the computer, and use this wireless adapter. I will remind you I am not a computer wizard, would I be able to use the disks in which came with our new computer (Vista) and install that?I will also be checking into finding an older adapter on the web.

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